Retooled Panthers and Stars both undergo changes

Former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff has close ties to Panthers; Clemmensen demoted

October 3, 2013|By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

DALLAS — The Panthers weren't the only team in the midst of a major upheaval as their season-opening opponent underwent a facelift of their own.

The Dallas Stars brought in a new coach in longtime Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, a new general manager in Jim Nill and several new players such as blossoming center Tyler Seguin, veteran Senators defenseman Sergei Gonchar, goalie Dan Ellis, as well as forward Valeri Nichushkin, the 10th overall draft pick in June.

"I feel like it's been a real good fit, Jim and I have a great relationship,'' said Ruff, who coached the Sabres from 1997-2013. "From Day 1 from camp to now it's been a pretty smooth ride.''

Panthers coach Kevin Dineen coached the Portland Pirates for three seasons when they were the Sabres' AHL affiliate, and Panthers assistant coach Craig Ramsay played with Ruff for six seasons in Buffalo.

"I worked with Lindy in Buffalo for three years and I can't say enough of about the way I was treated as an AHL coach,'' Dineen said. "We spent a lot of time at and away from the rink exchanging ideas and I've got a pretty good idea on how he likes his teams to play. I learned a lot in that period.

"I expect our forwards to feel some heat, not a lot of space out there; they play an assertive style.''

Ruff, a Panthers' assistant for the first four years of the franchise from 1993-97, including their run to the Stanley Cup finals in '96, returned the compliments.

"I grew up playing with Craig, and obviously, coaching with Kevin,'' Ruff said. "Two real good people. They're a little bit like us, putting a lot of different pieces together. Craig has an unbelievable resume in coaching; his relationship with players is as good as any I know, highly respected.

"Kevin's a greaty young coach … I'm pretty sure they'll be a team that's competitive and a team that will be hard to beat.''

Ruff was asked about the differences between Dallas and Buffalo.

"We have one lane, they have three lanes here with a 38-degree temperature swing in Dallas' favor,'' he joked. "When the skates are on, hockey's hockey.''

The Stars haven't made the playoffs in five seasons.

Clemmensen demoted

Backup goalie Scott Clemmensen, who cleared waivers Thursday, will report to the Panthers' AHL affiliate in San Antonio for two rehabilitation starts and a full week of practice.

Clemmensen, 36, who was cleared to play on Tuesday after recovering from a preseason knee procedure, participated in morning skate at American Airlines Center. He's on injured reserve, so he couldn't play in the first four games anyway.

Recent pickup goalie Tim Thomas started the season-opener against the Stars, with Jacob Markstrom his backup.

The Panthers had hoped that a team in need of goaltending - perhaps the Pittsburgh Penguins who are in the market for a backup with Tomas Vokoun sidlelined for several months while he recuperates from blood-clot surgery - would pick up Clemmensen's $1.3 million salary.

Dineen said that when Clemmensen completes his stint in San Antonio, management will, "re-evaluate,'' the goaltending situation.

"It's no fun for Scott to have to go down but in the end it gives us some stability in goal and that's something you can't have enough of,'' Dineen said. "I had confidence in [Markstrom] last year; I have confidence in him this year. We expect our goaltending to be a strength for us this year. It's all talk, blah, blah, let's go out and play and see it sort out on the ice.'' …

In his first two seasons, Seguin, 21, the second overall draft pick of 2010, played with Thomas on the Bruins, and he admitted there were some hard feelings when Thomas suddenly quit after the 2011-12 season due to mental fatigue.

"At the time, there was a little bit of a bitter taste in our mouths, but that being said, it's also how we won together,'' said Seguin, who in a blockbuster trade last summer was traded to the Stars, along with Rich Peverley for Loui Eriksson and others.

"We knew we had Tuukka Rask as an up-and-comer, and he definitely proved himself. I think Timmy had personal matters, family reasons, I respect that.''

Seguin, who has 56 goals in 203 games, doesn't believe the year off taken by the 39-year-old will mean much.

"Obviously, I have as much respect for him as a goalie because he won me a Stanley Cup,'' Seguin said. "I feel like he's played for 30-plus years, his whole life, so a year off isn't going to make too much difference.''

Seguin was curious about Thomas' physical condition, and when told it was excellent, he joked: